Has anyone used these before?
They look to work a lot quicker and cooler than a bench or angle grinder
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=burr+king+mower+blade+grinder&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

joemower

12-05-2012, 08:29 PM

Bought one this past winter and it is awsome. Extreemly easy to use and fast. About 3-4 passes and your blade is sharp if you are shapening on a regular bases. Works on all types of blade even mulching and lefthand Walker blades. No need to adjust. Replacement belts are cheap though I've sharpened about 100 blades this year and have not worn out a belt yet. Best of all you can use this belt grinder for many other metal working tasks around your shop. It's a bit pricy but well worth it. Saves us alot of time and time is money.
Posted via Mobile Device

siclmn

12-05-2012, 10:58 PM

So you spent over $2000 for a machine to sharpen your blades?
I watched the video and it made me want one.

joemower

12-05-2012, 11:20 PM

So you spent over $2000 for a machine to sharpen your blades?
I watched the video and it made me want one.

Nope I believe it only cost us about $1800 with the stand and shipping. Took advantage of the GIE show price. I worried about the price at first but after having one for a season I'd do it again.
Posted via Mobile Device

lil

12-06-2012, 02:17 AM

Bought one this past winter and it is awsome. Extreemly easy to use and fast. About 3-4 passes and your blade is sharp if you are shapening on a regular bases. Works on all types of blade even mulching and lefthand Walker blades. No need to adjust. Replacement belts are cheap though I've sharpened about 100 blades this year and have not worn out a belt yet. Best of all you can use this belt grinder for many other metal working tasks around your shop. It's a bit pricy but well worth it. Saves us alot of time and time is money.
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks for your reply, Joe.

I think i'm sold on this one; I just wanted to make sure it wasn't some of Harry Potter's work on their youtube vids.

orangemower

12-06-2012, 07:54 AM

I was flaming them for offering something way over priced to sharpen mower blades. However, the machine is so versatile that it can be used for so much more that the price starts to look appealing! I'd have one if I could afford it. I do "some" metal fabbing and do it well. I just don't do enough to justify the cost. Great machine if you do a lot of metal fab work and you need to sharpen some mower blades.

I was considering this sander. I think it would work to sharpen mower blades as well as other stuff.

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/000999/000999420001.jpg

joemower

12-06-2012, 11:44 AM

Hey orangemower, I appreciate your concern about the price of the Burr King, but I don't think you would be happy trying to sharpen your blades with that "sander". I at once thought that would work also but when I took a closer look it just wouldn't work. That unit is intended for light wood sanding and to maybe sharpen a tool here and there. It would be tough to even keep the proper angle when sharpening a blade. You would be better off just buying a dedicated blade grinder if you want something less expensive. The reason the Burr King grinder works is because of the blade sharpening plate/adapter that they designed and attache to their grinder which makes it easy to sharpen at the right angle. True the Burr King is super heavy duty, an overkill, and expensive but it sure does a wonderful job and should last a lifetime.

pugs

12-06-2012, 05:48 PM

I had them bring a Demo out to me. I plan to purchase one at some point. Probably before the end of the year if the accountant says so.

It seemed to remove material very fast, the blade stays cool, and you hardly have to hold onto the blade. We currently have a very good blade grinder but it seems like some blades will vibrate you like crazy and others will be very smooth in it for me anyway.

Another nice thing about it is you can run the tip of the blade over the slack portion quick to dull it down a bit. You dont want blades razor sharp so we generally file them to take the razor edge off. But this is so much quicker also.

Only 2 things I dont like about it. One is there is no way to easily collect the debris. Yah they show that nice magnet thing picking it up but I dont want the stuff flying everywhere. Would like something that channels it into a hose or something that a shopvac could suck up.

The other thing was the angle it seems to sharpen at is a bit different than our current grinder and what most off the shelf blades seem to be cut at.

gene gls

12-06-2012, 09:14 PM

I called today for a demo of the x400. I have been eyeing them up for a couple of years. I went to a machine trade show back in 2010 to see the 760 model, way over kill for me and too expensive.

joemower, did you get the stand that the grinder mounts on? If so, does it wobbel, shake, or viberate when you use it? I have watched the video several times and it looks like it may not be a steady unit.

joemower

12-06-2012, 09:53 PM

Gene- Yes I did get the stand. It's pretty solid. I haven't noticed any wobble, shake, or vibration. It can be bolted to the floor if that were a problem. It's a sturdy unit. It would be nice if they could offer a dust collector with it. They have given me good ideas on how to make one but I never seem to get around to making it. Enjoy your demo. I'm sure you are going to love it. It took me 2 years of eyeing it up before I broke down and bought one too.
Posted via Mobile Device

gene gls

12-06-2012, 10:47 PM

Gene- Yes I did get the stand. It's pretty solid. I haven't noticed any wobble, shake, or vibration. It can be bolted to the floor if that were a problem. It's a sturdy unit. It would be nice if they could offer a dust collector with it. They have given me good ideas on how to make one but I never seem to get around to making it. Enjoy your demo. I'm sure you are going to love it. It took me 2 years of eyeing it up before I broke down and bought one too.
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks for the reply. I already plan on buying it. Belt grinders are so handy. I have an old belt sander for wood but it turns too slow for working with steel. My 4.5" disk grinder is too hard to grind small parts on with out looseing skin off the fingers.

orangemower

12-07-2012, 08:32 AM

Thanks for the reply. I already plan on buying it. Belt grinders are so handy. I have an old belt sander for wood but it turns too slow for working with steel. My 4.5" disk grinder is too hard to grind small parts on with out loosing skin off the fingers.

Curious, did you consider swapping out the electric motor for a higher rpm motor?

The pic I posted of the belt sander could be used. It wouldn't take to much work to make up a platform to use for blade sharpening so the edge of the blade is at the correct angle. I currently use a bench grinder that is setup to sharpen blades at 33* but it has a 8" wheel so it leaves a curve on the edge.

gene gls

12-07-2012, 09:05 AM

Curious, did you consider swapping out the electric motor for a higher rpm motor?

The pic I posted of the belt sander could be used. It wouldn't take to much work to make up a platform to use for blade sharpening so the edge of the blade is at the correct angle. I currently use a bench grinder that is setup to sharpen blades at 33* but it has a 8" wheel so it leaves a curve on the edge.

NO...........My belt sander is a cheapy made in China about 30 years ago. I dought if it could hold togeather at a faster belt speed. It worked OK for what I bought it for at the time but I need to upgrade to a more professional modern unit.

siclmn

12-07-2012, 09:29 AM

People who are saying just use a belt sander. The video explains how you need their belt so that you end up grinding the metal off the blade and not destroying the belt when you sharpen a blade. Their belt won't fit a normal belt sander.

jetta

12-07-2012, 10:13 AM

i know this gets mixed responses but i tried the bradley ($200) and like it ive tried 2 others and did not, i have walkers and xmarks. best ive found for the price, no vibrations and good balance.

baker,fl

08-03-2013, 06:33 AM

still happy with the burr king blade sharpener??

joemower

08-03-2013, 08:08 AM

still happy with the burr king blade sharpener??

Yes very much so. I wish I had one 30 years ago. :-)

gene gls

08-03-2013, 08:31 AM

Yes very much so. I wish I had one 30 years ago. :-)

Same here, so handy for grinding on all sorts of objects.

pugs

08-03-2013, 04:53 PM

I ended up getting the 760 version. Makes sharpening blades a joy. Its pricey but so worth it. Probably one of the best things we have ever purchased for the shop.

gene gls

08-03-2013, 08:03 PM

I ended up getting the 760 version. Makes sharpening blades a joy. Its pricey but so worth it. Probably one of the best things we have ever purchased for the shop.

They are a nice machine. More options for specialized grinding of parts for a fabricator.